Seeing as Steve Tambellini and Dean Lombardi have decided to let bygones be bygones, might moving on include sitting down and talking about a trade involving Ales Hemsky?

I don't know if Tambellini and Lombardi have planned to talk when the Los Angeles Kings come calling on the Edmonton Oilers Sunday, but I have a hunch they will and I most certainly think they should.

Having buried the proverbial hatchet on the mess that was the Ryan Smyth for Colin Fraser trade of last summer, I'm thinking there might be mutual benefit in Tambellini and Lombardi chatting about if Hemsky might fit into the needs of the Kings.

Further, what No. 83 might yield between now and Feb. 27 in terms of the defenseman the Oilers desperately need to bolster a blue line punched full of holes by injuries to Ryan Whitney, Tom Gilbert and Cam Barker.

I'm thinking Hemsky might be a fit alongside Anze Kopitar or Mike Richards -- I'm told by someone I trust Lombardi expressed interest in Hemsky last season -- and that somebody like Slava Voynov would certainly represent more than filler for an Edmonton defensive corps that us undermanned and overmatched right now.

Seeing as Tambellini and Lombardi are on speaking terms again . . .

WORTH A DISCUSSION

I listened with interest to Lombardi's interview with Mark Spector on the TEAM 1260 today, and it sounded like there is all kinds of potential for Lombardi and Tambellini to see if there's some business to be done.

"I think we were able to work that out. That's something that I have to apologize for," Lombardi said of the fuss that followed after Fraser arrived in Tinseltown as damaged goods.

"I was certainly frustrated, you know, having to lose a player like Ryan Smyth and then getting in a bind with trying to replace him and then, you know, there was a little grey area as far as what we go back.

"The bottom line, I should have never said what I said publicly. It was the wrong thing to do. I apologized to Edmonton as well as the NHL that that wasn't the way to handle it.

"Once we sat down we were able to come to some resolution, but the bottom line, I was wrong in the way that I handled that and we move on."

Could Hemsky be the missing piece to bump the under-achieving Kings up Western Conference standings where many people expected them to be? Would Lombardi, having already sent Tambellini Colten Teubert and a draft pick that turned into Oscar Klefbom in the Dustin Penner trade, be willing to part with the 21-year-old Voynov as part of a package?

THE RIGHT PLAYER

"You've still to put the horse before the cart here," Lombardi said of any potential trades. "It's got to be the right player.

"If it's the right player, there's enough ways to get creative to get that player in here, you know? Either create the space or, I do have players coming off the books next years, so I've got some flexibility there.

"Even though we're up against the cap a little this year, this is the other thing about this team – it's not locked in. We do have people coming off and we do have some pretty favorable contracts.

"So, I don't think I'm going to the marketplace and saying, 'I want a guy whose contract's up or so many other things . . . I think we've got to focus on the right player."

"I think it's critical that I get the right fit. I've got to be careful with our assets. I've already traded some draft picks here to try and help this team now.

"But, it's not like I'm under the gun where I have an old team that I have to take a run at it now. Not that I don't want to, don't get me wrong. I do think we have to be more selective and try to do a better job at finding the right fit.

"You look at our team defensively, we're one of the better teams in the league again. I think we're strong down the middle. But part of getting those wingers to go in there, they better fit or, you know, you're just spinning your wheels. So, I'm certainly going to try, but I am going to be very concerned about fit as well as price."

WHILE I'M AT . . .

I can't say for sure what Tambellini's approach will be between now and the trade deadline regarding his blue line. Might he make a minor move for a body to provide relief for what's left of his defense right away and then look for a bigger move, like Voynov, later?

No matter which approach, maybe both, Tambellini takes, I'm thinking he should also be getting on the phone to Phoenix GM Don Maloney, if he hasn't done so already.

The Coyotes have organization depth on the back and. If I'm Tambellini, I'm asking about 24-year-old Edmonton native David Schlemko for the longer term or maybe Rostislav Klesla as a quick fix.

-- Trade rumor-monger TreenasOil, made almost-famous by David Staples over at The Cult of Hockey, was throwing a lot of stuff up against the wall last week, including the suggestion there was a lot of interest in Hemsky by Nashville. She (he?) went as far as to say the Predators had asked to take a look at Hemsky's medical records.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Music City GM David Poile has some interest, but I don’t know it to be any greater than that of Lombardi or other potential suitors like San Jose and Pittsburgh, in a dogfight to make the playoffs.

Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TEAM 1260.

A sports writer since 1983, including stints at The Edmonton Journal and The Sun 1989-2007, I happily co-host the Jason Gregor Show on TSN 1260 twice a week and write when so inclined. Have the best damn lawn on the internet. Most important, I am Sam's dad. Follow me on Twitter at Robin_Brownlee. Or don't.

If I were Kamikaze Steve I would hang on to the inevitable lottery pick and take someone like Grigorenko or Murray. After this years draft I would be looking for roster players to come via trade or free-agent signings.

This mumbling BS by Tambs citing how hard it is to make a trade is obviously nonsense. Clearly though you do need a pair to do it. Feaster is no brain surgeon and I think the Flames are clear winners in that deal.

Maybe Tambs could puruse the Canadien's roster for anglo names of players who don't parlez-vous. That might a good place to start if your imagination is challenged.

We need to save sumfin for the Predators and one of those gringos who play in front of the goalers der. 91,89,5 and the Oilers first rounder in 2013.

We cannot achieve the impossible without attempting the absurd.

This Weber to the Oilers rumor that has in fact been confirmed on Mythbusters.

Wow, there is something we disagree on! I was thinking you were my wife playing me incognito like!

I think Webers a pipe dream, the GM of the Preds has gone on record as saying no deals, having said that I think the Oilers should offer a nice long deal to Suter. Leaving 91-89-5 for something or someone else.

There's nice D-man UFA's out there next year. Boychuk-Jackmen-Carle-Oduya

If the Oilers were to pick 4th overall, with Yakupov, Grigorenko and Murray off the board, would it be worth it to trade down? Only MacGregor knows.

In moving Hemsky, the higher the team interested in him is in the standings, the less risk they are taking because they know they'll have him for at least one playoff round. That means that they might also part with a little more if they feel slotting in a playmaking RW gives them a real chance at going far. That being said, I think in our worst case scenario we'd have to look at comparing a Hemsky trade to what Pittsburgh gave up for Kovalev, and a best-case scenario would be something akin to the Penner deal.

I would like to see the Oilers acquire another 1st rounder for Hemsky and come away with players like a Griogorenko OR Murray and maybe a Henrik Samuelsson or Olli Maata. Even Tanner Pearson could enter the discussion fairly soon. Who knows. This much is certain though, if there is a draft year where Tambellini needs to send MacGregor with as many "bullets" as possible, this would be it. Hemsky, Smyth, Sutton, Chorney, Khabibulin, Horcoff, even Hordichuk, if there's interest, should be considered available.

the Hemsky for Voynov L.A. trade proposal is fair enough. my concern with trading Hemsky is that his value is on lower side of what it should be. in that sense we are potentially on a losing end of the deal (maybe big time). better assesments should have been occuring earlier perhaps.

i am still wondering what it would take to get Ellis out of Nashville. he is a powerplay specialist on the backend. Hoppy on the side wall and Ellis on the back seems pretty good to me.

I do not think present value of a player is ussd for anything but bargaining by the GM looking to make the acquisition. You can bet Lombardi et al are thinking that a change of secenery and better complimentary players are going to get Ales back to the ppg player that he was.

Wow, there is something we disagree on! I was thinking you were my wife playing me incognito like!

I think Webers a pipe dream, the GM of the Preds has gone on record as saying no deals, having said that I think the Oilers should offer a nice long deal to Suter. Leaving 91-89-5 for something or someone else.

There's nice D-man UFA's out there next year. Boychuk-Jackmen-Carle-Oduya

Without having to give up a one of those there players, partner.

As an oil fan in Winnipeg, I can tell you that you most certainly do NOT want Oduya wearing the copper and blue. He has been beyond brutal this year.

I do not think present value of a player is ussd for anything but bargaining by the GM looking to make the acquisition. You can bet Lombardi et al are thinking that a change of secenery and better complimentary players are going to get Ales back to the ppg player that he was.

Exactly. We got lots for Penner, I don't see how we wouldn't for Hemsky.

@mayorpoop

Hemsky's value isn't going to change, sooner or later you are going to have to make a decision. And once that deadline passes then your looking at no return come summer.

Hemsky IMO is a replaceable talent...I'd rather have a hard working winger that is gutsy and shows drive shift in and shift out. Tired of hearing about all the talent he has, injuries hindering his abilities...the guy has never had a good work ethic, why would it start now.

weird... i read the same thing on hockeybuzz.com today. Somepeople read Dilbert, some read other non-sense comics. I like to read hockeybuzz and have a nice little laugh to myself about how one man proposes 10-20 trades a day.

He almost has a chance in the hell for hell in getting one right haha.

Anyway, I can honestly say when it's coming from Brownlee's article there is obviously blood in the water around something like this. He doesn't just report BS for the sake of it.

I hope you're right Robin! As much as I appreciate what Hemmer did for us in 2006, I would really appreciate what a trade for him could do for us in terms of shoring up our back end!

Grigorenko is a center with great size, vision, a scoring touch, and the ability to kill penalties. I only put Omark in as a stop gap RW. We may need another year to replace him with a talented, physical presence on the wing.

Gagner doesn't belong.

Well you could Gagner on the right wing on that line, he's still more proven than Omark is and has played well with Hall